What does it mean that the Bible is both human and divine?
Scripture is divine: it is God-breathed, the very word of God, living and active. And it is human: it came through real authors, real languages, real circumstances, and real writing. Like Christ Himself, who is fully God and fully man, the Bible is one book with two natures, so that to read these human words is to hear God speaking, and to trust God's word is to trust the words He breathed through His messengers.
This question arose from studying How was the Bible written down? and Can I trust the Bible?.
Begin by reading
Go into the Word
Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
It is divine: the very word of God
Scripture claims a divine origin Paul puts plainly: 'Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching.' The Thessalonians received the apostolic message 'not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe.' Hebrews tells us of God 'having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets,' and Jesus could say of the written text, 'the Scripture can't be broken.' When the Bible speaks, God speaks.
Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe.For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture can’t be broken),If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
It is human: written by real people in real ways
The divine authorship never erased the human. Peter says, 'no prophecy ever came by the will of man,' yet it came as 'holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit,' and the same verse insists holy men were the speakers. Luke writes as a careful historian who 'traced the course of all things accurately,' and David could say, 'The Spirit of Yahweh spoke by me. His word was on my tongue.' Paul distinguishes his own counsel, 'not the Lord,' from the Lord's command, showing the writers' real human voices. The Bible is fully human and fully the word of God at once.
For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us, even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus;Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
“The Spirit of Yahweh spoke by me. His word was on my tongue.The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
But to the rest I—not the Lord—say, if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she is content to live with him, let him not leave her.But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
Two natures, one book, like the Word made flesh
The church has long seen a likeness between Christ and Scripture: in both, the divine and the human meet without confusion. As the Word became flesh and was truly both God and man, so the God-breathed Scriptures came to us through human authors and are truly both divine and human. We do not have to choose between trusting the words as God's and honoring them as human; Scripture is one word with a divine breath and a human voice, and both are real.
Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds.God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe.For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
So the Bible is living, trustworthy, and authoritative
Because it is God-breathed, it is living: 'the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword,' able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Because it is the word of God, it is our authority: 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God,' and Peter calls it 'a lamp shining in a dark place.' We can trust the Bible and submit to it precisely because it is God's own word to us, however human the pens that wrote it.
For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
We have the more sure word of prophecy; and you do well that you heed it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns, and the morning star arises in your hearts:We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
We read it as God speaking to us
The practical meaning is simple and profound: when we open the Bible, we are not reading merely ancient human opinion but the enduring word of the living God. Peter quotes the promise, 'the Lord's word endures forever,' and says 'this is the word of Good News which was preached to you,' and Isaiah declares, 'the word of our God stands forever.' Because it is both human and divine, it is both a book we can study as literature and history and a word we must obey as the voice of God. Read it as such: hear the human authors, and through them, the God who breathes.
For, “All flesh is like grass, and all of man’s glory like the flower in the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls; but the Lord’s word endures forever.” This is the word of Good News which was preached to you.For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God stands forever.”The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
As you read, you may wonder…
Scripture raises the next question
Studying the Word naturally opens more of it. Follow what you just read: it leads somewhere.
We haven't written this one yet. Take it to your church or small group: the Word answers it wherever it is asked. If we study it here later, all the better.
Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation. For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe.For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds.God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
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